Burning woman pulled from fire

Riverside North maintenance man first to assist victim.

Riverside North maintenance man first to assist victim.

October 13, 2006|TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Firefighters are calling a maintenance man a hero after he risked his life to save a woman from an apartment fire. Shawn Gray, a maintenance worker for Riverside North Apartments, kicked down the woman's door and extinguished her after she caught fire about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. "He's the real hero," Battalion Chief Al "Buddy" Kirsits said. The 60-year-old South Bend woman was taken to an area hospital by police escort. She was later transported to Fort Wayne's St. Joseph Hospital Regional Burn Center with burns to 70 percent of her body, said Assistant Chief Howard Buchanan. The woman's name and condition were not being released Thursday night. Kirsits said the woman was conscious when she was taken from the apartment and while medics applied first aid to her. Kirsits said the cause of the fire to the apartment at 1667 N. Riverside Drive Apt. B is under investigation. The blaze caused about $2,000 in damage to the apartment, which is a couple of doors down from the complex's information center. Gray said a painter at the complex "told me he smelled smoke." Gray grabbed a fire extinguisher. "When I saw the lady, she was asking for help," he said. "She was on fire." Gray said when he entered there were "a lot of flames." Firefighters said heavy smoke was showing when they arrived. Kirsits said Gray was unable to pull the woman out due to heavy smoke that had formed inside. Firefighters, who were on their way back from a house fire on North Sherman Avenue, arrived in time to pull the woman out. Gray was treated by medics at the scene for smoke inhalation but refused hospital treatment. Kirsits credited Quint 7 firetruck firefighters Fred Gunther, David Lee and Scott Searfoss for their efforts at the scene. "They did a good job," he said, "and were able to get here real quick." WSBT contributed to this report.